Sweet Potato Turkey Chili

There is nothing like two back to back days off, stuck in the mountains in the fall.

Well I say I’m stranded on the mountain today but that is not incredibly true.

Yesterday I drove the backside of highway 38 to meet Mary an hour and twenty minutes away from my mountain home on the absolute complete opposite side if the mountain.

This drive took forever as there was traffic control in three different places with road work desperately trying to repair our roads before the winter weather hit. Not only that but the other mountain highway leading down to my house is closed right now between the hours if 8 and 3. So driving our mountain roads right now is more difficult and time consuming than normal.

It was an absolutely gorgeous day to go for a drive in the mountains, even with the road work. I spent all last week relaxing and rehabbing in Palm Springs and fall slammed my mountain home with oranges, auburns and yellow leaves while I was out of town.

By the time I finally, finally made it through the traffic and met Mary at the South Fork trail head I had one thought in my mind…

I had to run these trails around Jenk’s Lake and in the Big Bear area as much as possible before the season changes and the leaves are gone!

Than Mary and I hiked/ ran 13 miles ( and I discovered a new trail!) and my feet killed me the last five miles. I’m so out of shape right now but there is only one way to get back in shape… Long runs on old back roads.

And now that I’ve burned over 600 calories in one workout, lets make chili!

Sweet Potato Turkey Chili

Ingredients

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

coconut oil

1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces

4 garlic cloves, chopped, or 1 heaping tablespoon of minced garlic

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less, depending on how spicy you like your chili)

2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

ground sea salt and black pepper

about 28-ounces canned diced tomatoes, including the liquid*

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

about 2 cups turkey broth

1 1/2 cups ground turkey

sour cream

shredded white cheddar

In a large pan, saute the onion in the coconut oil. Add the peppers and the sweet potato. Cook three minutes. Add the garlic and ground turkey. Add all the spices. Add in the beans, tomatoes and the broth. Let cook for one hour. Add the cocoa powder and let simmer thirty minutes.